Iowa City, IA to Lake View, IA is 230.8 miles and takes about 4h 32m via Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, traversing Iowa for its entirety. Expect a drive dominated by surface roads, offering a straightforward path to your destination. It's a relatively short haul, making it ideal for a single day's travel without feeling rushed. Plan for a relaxed pace and a clear route.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
115.4 miles from Iowa City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 15m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
207.9 mi
3h 56m
US 71
9.9 mi
13m
330th Street
5 mi
6m
I 80
4.1 mi
4m
North Dubuque Street
1.2 mi
3m
South Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
2m
Kimball Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 207.9 mi, about 3h 56m
Traffic on I-380
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 26 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,943 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,357
Quietest
2 AM
~105 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Iowa City, IA and Lake View, IA.
1
Start on South Gilbert Street
0.8 mi·2 min·South Gilbert Street
2
Turn slight left onto Kimball Road
477 ft·22 sec·Kimball Road
3
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.2 mi·3 min·North Dubuque Street
4
Turn left
0.4 mi·58 sec
5
Merge onto I 80
4.1 mi·4 min·I 80
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
8
Merge onto I 380; US 218; IA 27
71 mi·1 hr 18 min·Avenue of the Saints
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27
137 mi·2 hr 38 min·Avenue of the Saints
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward US 71 South, CR N14 North: Sac City, Carroll
11
Turn left onto US 71
9.9 mi·13 min·US 71
12
Turn right onto IA 175
5.0 mi·6 min·330th Street
13
Arrive at destination
IA 175
Trip Plan
Since this is a single-day drive of under 5 hours, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Iowa City in the morning will get you to Lake View by early afternoon, leaving ample time for evening activities. The longest continuous stretch is over 200 miles on Avenue of the Saints, so plan your first stop before or shortly after that point to refuel and stretch. With a fuel cost estimated at $41, be sure to fill up before you leave or at a convenient point along the way, as services may be more spread out on the surface roads.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 115.4 miles from Iowa City, IA, or about 2h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 207.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 51 miles or 1h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 115.4 miles or 2h 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake View, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Iowa City, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Iowa City, IA
This is one driving day of about 230.8 miles and 4h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 miles from Iowa City, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 207.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 6.6 and 215.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
6.6 mi into trip|~11m in
Take the exit toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
6
6.9 mi into trip|~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar...
4
78.3 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
215.4 mi into trip|~4h 10m in
Take the exit toward US 71 South, CR N14 North: Sac City, Carroll
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 71 South, CR N14 North: Sac City, Car...
4
215.8 mi into trip|~4h 11m in|US 71
Turn left onto US 71
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.37 one way
$76.75 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg81 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$41.80
$83.60
premium
$5.18
$47.10
$94.19
diesel
$5.35
$48.61
$97.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
69.2
0
$24.23
$11.08
Efficient EV
57.7
0
$20.20
$9.23
EV Truck/SUV
92.3
1
$32.31
$14.77
Gas CO2
81 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of May 29, 2026
Origin
Iowa City, IA
Afternoon
in Iowa City on Wednesday
Local time
2:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Partly Sunny
E 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Lake View, IA
Afternoon
in Lake View on Wednesday
Local time
2:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Cloudy
SE 12 mph7% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 32m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a highway share of only 6%, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest stretch on the Avenue of the Saints covers 207.9 miles before you transition to other routes. Given the profile is mostly surface roads, anticipate more frequent intersections and variable speed limits as you navigate through various towns. The majority of your driving will be on two-lane roads.
Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 207.9 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 6.6 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 230.8 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 78.3 miles (US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,278 ft666 ft
Total Climb
715 ft
Total Descent
103 ft
Highest Point
1,278 ft
~230.8 mi in
Elevation Range
612 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Iowa City, IA and Lake View, IA, road signs point toward Cr N14 North: Sac City and Carroll.
Cr N14 North: Sac City
215.4 mi in|~4h 10m
Carroll
215.4 mi in|~4h 10m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Hip and urban, Iowa City is a prominent college town primarily known as the home of the University of Iowa. Along with its adjacent suburb of Coralville, just to the west. Iowa City sits at the center of a metro area home to 171,000 people (2020) in the I-380 Corridor region of Eastern Iowa.
Top landmarks
•University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art — museum in Iowa City, Iowa
•Vogt House — historic building located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States
•First Johnson County Asylum — historic building located on the far west side of Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 32m. Total distance: 230.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (6%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 207.9 miles on Avenue of the Saints. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 13 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 78.3 miles (US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Lake View, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
